AI under the spotlight

The ethical dilemmas inherent in artificial intelligence (AI) will be the focus of a seminar held at the State Library Victoria, in Melbourne, Australia on 13 November.

Professors Toby Walsh and Sharon Oviatt will sit down to discuss and answer questions about the future of this technology in a forum to be moderated by Kylie Ahern, co-founder of Cosmos magazine.

The event is billed as “The ethical dilemmas of AI – Are we sleepwalking into an AI future” and is open to the public. Register for the event here.

Sharon Oviatt is a professor at Monash University, known for her work in human-computer interaction. Toby Walsh is a professor at the University of New South Wales in Australia, with a focus on limiting AI “to ensure the public good”.

Registration opens at 5:30pm, with a panel discussion at 6:15pm and networking drinks to follow.

Ahern says the event is open to “anyone with an interest in AI”.

“This talk will help people think bigger about AI and gain a better understanding of what it is and how it might impact us,” she adds.

The panellists are expected to discuss Australia’s investment in the field, the development of commercialised technology and use of this technology to support human needs, activities and values.

Ahern says she plans to ask the panellists about the most impactful and innovative research projects in the field today, as well as questions related to the timeframe for wide-spread AI in our daily lives.

“Outside of academia we don’t have a great understanding of AI, the history of AI research or where it’s headed,” she says.

“What should we be scared of and excited about? What are the safety measures we need to implement? How will it change us and how our behaviours?”